Sambalpur: Vikash Hospital Penalized Rs. 2 Lakh for Charging Money Without Conducting CT Scan

Sambalpur: Vikash Hospital in Panchagochhia, Sambalpur, has been ordered to pay Rs. 2 lakh as compensation and Rs. 20,000 as legal expenses. The district consumer forum issued this order after the hospital charged a patient’s family for a CT scan but failed to conduct the test.

Patient’s Hospitalization and Treatment

The resident Mahesh Munsi from Jagannath Colony filed a complaint stating that he admitted his father, Prafulla Munsi, to Vikash Hospital on December 18, 2023, in critical condition. After examining him in the OPD, doctors shifted him to ICU-1, bed number 13. The medical team treated him for three days, but the doctors declared him dead on December 21.

During his stay, he suffered from weakness, cold, and cough. The hospital conducted multiple tests, including ECG, CT-Brain-Plain, HIV, HCV, HBsAg-Hepatitis B, Antigen, ABG, CBC, liver tests, and a chest X-ray. The total bill for these tests was Rs. 6,745.

Billing and Complaint

On December 21, after full payment, the hospital released the patient’s body for the final rites. However, 15 days later, the complainant requested medical bills, vouchers, and clinical reports. Surprisingly, the hospital refused to provide the CT scan report.

It was later discovered that the hospital had not even conducted a CT scan but still charged the patient’s family for it. Realizing this, Mahesh Munsi filed a complaint with the consumer forum, supported by documents. Advocates P.K. Singhdeo and M.S. Mitra represented him in the case.

Court’s Decision

After reviewing the evidence, the consumer forum ruled in favor of the complainant. The court ordered the hospital to compensate the patient’s family Rs. 2 lakh and cover Rs. 20,000 in legal expenses.